Collapsible crate.



No. 639,833. Patented Dec. 26, I899. G. SIMPSON &. J. HILLEGAS.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

(Application filed Nov. 10, 1898.)

(No Model.)

{ o/ msses I [nae/{Z621 I Qcmye 'u'rz/Jaam rite] UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE SIMPSON AND JOSEPH HILLEGAS, OF LOWRY CITY, MISSOURI.

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 639,833, dated December 26, 1899. Application filed November 10, 1898. Serial No. 696,014- (No 'model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, GEORGE SIMPSON and JOSEPH HILLEGAS, citizens of the United States, residing at Lowry City, in the county of St. Clair and State of Missouri, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Collapsible Crates or Folding Boxes, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a new and useful improvement in collapsible crates or folding boxes, and has for its object to provide a sim ple and efiective construction which will permit the box or crate to be collapsed when not in use, so as to occupy less space in storing or shipping and yet when it is adjusted for use it will be as rigid as though made in the ordinary manner.

With these ends in view this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand how to make and use the same, the con- 2 5 struction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying drawing, forminga part of this specification, in which we have illustrated by a perspective view a sheet-metal box made in accordance with our improvement.

As shown in the drawing, our improvement is adapted to a sheet-metal box, which for some purposes is more desirable than a wooden box, and in this drawing the sides of 3 5 the box have slots (1 formed therein, with which the hooks b engage, said hooks being riveted at d to the inside of the box and partition, so as to pass through these slots and engage with the lower edges thereof to hold the sides in place.- The sides and ends of this box are engaged in the same manner to the'bottom, which is likewise formed as in the construction above set forth. The partitione may be held in place by the small lugs f, securedto'the' sides of the box, so as to form guideways in which the partition may he slid. Likewise the lugs 9 will serve to stop the ends of the box from swinging inward when the box is adjusted for use. The top of the box thus constructed will be similar in all respects to the one before described, except that in this case the top is metal instead of wood, and the hooks h are of less length, as the entire device folds into a smaller compass.

Having thus fullydescribed our invention, what we claim as new and useful is- 1. A metallic box having hinged sides and ends, said sides having slots therein, hooks on the ends and partitions engaging the sides through the slots, lugs for holding the partitions in place and permitting a sliding movement therein and lugs near the ends of the sides as and for the purpose described.

2. A collapsible box consisting of a metal bottom having flanges, sides and ends hinged thereto, said sides having slots therein, hooks pivoted to the ends and adapted to engage said slots, a central partition, lugs secured upon the sides for guideways of said partition, and hooks pivoted to the partition and adapted to pass through slots in the sides, and a top adapted to fit over the upper edge of the box, as specified.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto affixed our signatures in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE SIMPSON. JOSEPH HILLEGAS.

-Witnesses:

S. E. PATTISON, (l. D. WALKER. 

